Separator-cage for ball-bearings.



1,170,916. Patented Feb. 8,1916;

E. M. LOWY.

SEPARAITOR CAGE: EOR BALL BEARINGS.

' APPLICATION [FILED DEC. 16, 1911.

I 814 00 5oz EMIL M. LOWY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEPARATOB-CAGE FOR BALL-BEARINGS.

To all whom 1' t 12144 concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL M. LOWY, a subject of the King of Hungary, at present residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan. county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separator-Cages for Ball- Bearings, of which the following is a full, clear,- and exact specification.

This invention relates to separator-cages for bearing balls.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for elastically separating the balls of a raceot' balls with a minimum amount of space for preventing a ball, upon release from the load, striking the neighboring ball,

and for placing the maximum number of 'ballsin the haul-carrying angle, producing a separator or age having great flexibility,

iand a flexible separator-cage which, with its complement of balls, will constitute a self- 1 contained structure.

In the drawings accompanying and form ing a part of this specification. one practicable embodiment of a form of the invention is illustrated, in which drawings- Figure 1 rcpresentsa side view of a portion of a radial bearing equipped with thepresent improvement. Fig. 2 is an edge :view of a portion of the separator with balls in position. and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on a plane at about the line a a of Fig. 2.

tration is shown composed of a wire provided with a series of loops integrally connected therewith. There is shown a wire having a convolution or loop 5, located in position for interposition between two adjacent balls 6. This loop is of such dimension that in a race ofg'iveu size the maxia position of rest relative to its augmented movement when driven from its normal position. and the elasticity of the loop will restore the ball to its normal position. The loops 5, are shown connected by connector- Specification of Letters'latent.

The separator-cage in the present illus- Patented Feb. 5, 1.916.

Application filed December 16, 191 1., Serial No. 666,087.

portions 7, which in thei'nselves are ti or elastic. The loops are shown elas .a connected at 8 to the connectors 7. entire series or ring of balls withthc separator, which then acts as a cage, will be a self-contained but elastic structure.

The flexibility of the (cage as a whole may be regulated by fastening the adjacent ends 9, 10, ot' the wire together by some suitable weld or with solder 11. This will make the cage comprise an endless coil, as it were, having a series of convolntions located in position for interposition between the ballsand integral spanners or spacers uniting the conyolutions:

By this improvement it and feasible to place more balls in a race of given size than has heretofore been possible with spaced-apart balls. This will enable a greater number of balls tube in the load-carrying angle of a radial hearing. In the thrust bearii'lg, by having a maximum number of balls, thelmid-ca-rrying capacity will also be increased. This improvement also permits the balls to be so closely placed together in the rare that the balls are nearly in. contact with one another-,but are positively separatei'l by elastic means in such manner that one ball is not permitted to bear against or strike another ball when released from the load.

It is a well known fact that the glass ha rd balls which are generally used in this type of ball bearing are but little altccted by the wear of the attrition to which they are subjected, but that they are injured rather by blows. which blows are incessant during the running of a radial bearing. As each ball passes out from under the load position. it will 'be violently projected against the ball which has immediately preceded it. The continuance of this han'nnering action. one ball upon the other, will make equatorial will be possible grooves in the balls and will also at timesfracture the balls. For preventing this the minimize friction.

metal which will not amalgamate witha the It will be understood that the form of the invention illustrated and specifically described is illustrative of the invention and that changes may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my inventionli Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim and desire to secure by-Letters Patentis: 9 m

1. .The combination with'a series of balls, of a separator-cage therefor, said separatorcage being formed of a single length of wire bent and formed into retaining loops or rings being disposed at equi-distant points along its length the eye of each ring adapted to form a seat for two adjacent balls.

2. The combination with a series of balls, of a one piece separating member therefor comprising a plurality of eyes or loops, each eye or loop providing ,a seat for two adjacent balls, each ball contacting withan annular peripheral portion of an eye or loop; 3. The combination with. a series of balls, of a one piece separator-cagecomprising a series of elastic wi're' loops, said loops beingballs, each loop-of the series being disposed respectively disposed between the balls and each loop contacting with. two adjacent balls and providing seats therefor. 1. 4. A one piece annular separator cage for balls 'formed with integral connected rings of circular cross-section; each ring constituting a separating and seat member for adjacent balls.

5. The-annular separator-cage for-balls formed of flexible wire and having integral rings adapted to be interposed between two.

adjacent balls to form a separating and seat 1 member therefor, each ring being so pqsitioned. with relation to the balls that an i outer peripheral portion of two balls will be centered and seated within the eye of each 3 ring but separated from each other.

6. An'annular separator cage for balls formed in one piece bent into a plurality of connected rings, equi-distant from each other, each ring being of circular cross section and constituting a separating and seat member for adjacentballs whereby a ball when positioned in the cage-is in engageseries of integralloops, the-diameter of saidloops being relatively smaller than the diameter of the balls and each loop being disposed between and separating adjacent balls so that said balls will not contact with each other during normal Operation.

8. The combination with a series of balls, of a separator-wage formed of wire bent in the form of loops having a diameter relatively smaller than the diameter of the between a pair of balls and separating them from contact with each other.

In witness whereof I hate hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EMIL M. LOlVY. Witnesses:

CHAS. -LYON RUssELL, WM. C. DUNN. 

